Squirrels and Learning

My colleague shared this video with me. Her daughter, E, is studying education at a nearby college and her clever professor, Professor Wilson, shared the video during an education class. I. Love. This. Video. It is appropriate viewing for teachers, parents and all allies.

For my education students, see if you can make connections to scaffolding, modeling, the importance of clear learning goals and objectives, the significance of caring adults, IFSPs/IEPs, and any other edu-ideas that come to you.Leave your comments below under the "comment" feature. Like all YouTube videos, you can make the video larger by clicking on the full screen option located at the bottom, right corner of the video window.

I'm looking forward to your reactions and connections. Big thanks, to my colleague, E, and Professor Wilson for sharing this video with me and agreeing it would be blog-worthy.

31 comments:

I really enjoyed this video. It showed a great deal of scaffolding and modeling. The baby squirrel reminded me of a child who is ready to learn but needs some coaching and modeling to do so. The adult squirrel and the people were the teacher. Great video!

This video is a great illustration of the ideology known and branded as ‘it takes a village’. In the video it is observed that the parent of the utterly-adorable baby squirrel is relentlessly modeling for it’s offspring. Thankfully the villagers witness the occurrence and sincerely devote their involvement. Their involvement plus the parents patience and initiation made it possible for the squirrel to reach new heights. The villagers play the role of teacher, mentor, neighbors, social workers, day care providers, etc. Possibilities are infinite when parents and villagers harmoniously support the growing minds of our future.

This video shows how teamwork is vital to a child's success. The mother squirrel tried to help the baby as best she could, but the baby squirrel was unable to succeed without the help of others. Just like an IEP/IFSP team, it is imperative that there are many people who are able to help in different ways. It's also very important that they are all working towards the same goal - to help the little squirrel succeed!

Love this Jen! Thanks for sharing it. It reminds me of what our school's Student Success strategy is all about: various levels of supports and interventions and clear and consistent communication among all involved. For the students I work with it could literally take a year or more for them to experience academic success. For some, success is just making it into school for a few hours - if they are there then we can support them.

Shelley - I am so glad you enjoyed the video. I agree, it speaks to both teaching and parenting. I am thinking about some of your students who might take a year to experience academic success. It takes a tenacious person to wait that long; my hat goes off to them for not giving up completely.

This video was so cute to watch. Seeing the humans help the squirrels out was great. This video did show a lot of modeling by with the adult squirrel showing the baby squirrel what to do. Scaffolding also did play a role in here aswell. Great video :)

Before i comment on the educational aspect of it, I have to say that baby squirrels are just adorable! Now that that's out of my system this is a great example of modeling (the parent squirrel showing the baby how to jump) scaffolding(in reverse-at first the baby jumps and fails than a passerby puts his book bag down and squirrel tries again and fails than some sacks are put down as well and finally baby gets it!) scaffolding in the classroom would be more like the teacher being hands on and slowly moves away so students are more independent. In a few month baby squirrel will have no problem jumping around climbing trees etc. The video also demonstrates how teachers may have to be patient and try a number of different things too help the child learn. for example subtraction. 6-4=2 might not make sense to a young child so you have to do a number of things to help the child understand. maybe give a real word situation like there are 6 slices of pizza 4 are taken, how many are left? etc

I thought this video was very nice, and it was nice to see the students helpingthe baby squirrel. There were some examples of modeling in this video. When the mom squirrel ran and jumped up the wall she was trying to model the movements for the baby squirrel to repeat. Unfortuantely each time the baby squirrel would try to climb the wall she would fall. In this video the students were scaffolding the baby squirrel.They were trying to support the baby squirrel and help the squirrel get up the wall. When they observed the baby squirrel could not get up the wall, they interferred and placed bags on the wall for the baby squirrel to hop on. Finally after numerous trys the baby squirrel was able to run up the wall.

The learning goal was clear in this video and once it looked like the goal may not be met by the learner thats when the students played a significant part by being caring. This also relates to the IEPS because it is a group of people trying to work together to help a child in need.I feel like everyone even the mother squirrel worked together for the baby squirrel to complete her goal.

This video was adorable :) It made me think about how as a child, everything is complicated and difficult but with the help of others something is accomplishable. This concept related to the IEP and IFSP we are learning about. Alone, the baby squirrel incapable to climb up the wall but with the help of others, and modifications to what is given the squirrel was able to climb up the wall which is what the IEP and IFSP are used for; to help a child in need of assistance to overcome the challenges life gives them.

Danielle - Your word choice is right on. Sometimes squirrels or our students are "incapable" without our support, guidance and help. However, with just a splash on all three, they gain proficiency or at least makes strides in that direction.

Let me start off by saying I had tears in my eyes by the end of this video! Nothing makes me more emotional than seeing someone/something work so hard to reach a goal and then they finally reach it! It makes it even better that it was a cute baby squirrel! This is easiest for me to relate to IEP's and IFSP's. He was not succeeding with just practicing over and over again, although I'm sure her would have eventually got it, so a little help was added (IEP or IFSP) and the results were spectacular! Some of us need a backpack or a sack to get us over the wall of success and it's important as educators to recognize that not every child is the same!

Great video! This was a great example of modeling. The mother squirrel did a great job of showing the baby squirrel what to do to be able to get over the wall. This reminded me of IFSPs and IEPs because like Kate N. said, a little extra help was added and eventually the baby squirrel got it! All it takes is a little extra help sometimes! :)

Awesome video. I love the way it showed modeling. The mama squirrel handled the situation very similarly to how a person might do it. Show them how and encourage them not to stop if they fail. Perseverance! Loved it. I also just realized that I didn't know how to spell squirrel...

I have to admit I was caught off guard, that was a cool video. I really liked the correlation between modeling and the squirrels attempts. It goes to show you that everyone needs a support system, and when that system shows up anything can be accomplished. Great video.

What an inspiring video! It definitely helped illustrate the way an IEP or IFSP and their respective team really can make a difference. For without the helpful humans (teachers and parents) and a few pieces of scaffolding (individualized lesson plans and progress measurements) that baby squirrel may never have made it up that wall (through grade school). And that is the ultimate goal here; to help children in need reach their potential so they can continue living a fulfilling and enjoyable lives.

I'm in love with this video - so adorable. I think it really illustrates how IEPs should work. The baby squirrel needed assistance to be able to climb up the wall, and it took some varying to get it right. The first bit of scaffolding helped some, but the squirrel still needed assistance. But once it was given a little more help, it had no problem making it up that wall. It can work the same way with students - just figure out what kind of help they need and how much help and they can succeed too :)

This video really shows how important well planned instruction can mean to one being, human or not. Without the instinct to teach the baby squirrel what to do, that squirrel would have probably needed to be rescued and not had the opportunity of the mother, or in this case the main educator. This really shows how through perseverance and determination, one can really help someone else.

This video really represents how some students need that little extra "push" or little extra help to reach their potential. Every student learns at their own pace and in their own way, which is why some may require IEPs. Just because someone may need help with learning, doesn't mean they can't reach the top.

I love the video! I think its funny how alike animals and humans can be sometimes. This is a great and easy way to understand IEPs, they are made to help every individual succeed. The squirrle needed some accomodations and alot of encouragement, with more practice he will be able to do it on his own. That sums up IEP completely! Practice makes perfect and everyone will meet there goal one day.

This is a great video! I think it represents that not everyone can reach the goal the same way. Some students need IEPs to reach their goals. This video exemplifies the idea that all students have the ability to accomplish their goals, but they may need a little intervention to get there!

I really enjoyed the video and the message it conveyed about education being an inherited attribute that spans over ages and species. This video relays how with a little aid (examples of that being IEP,and IFSP),and some practice individuals can accomplish great things. Students can reach their full potential with help, all levels of help and need differ from person to person.

Such a great video! I really wasn't sure of what to expect when it first started. I love how the mama shows performs scaffolding by showing her baby over an over, she could of easily just of gone to another wall, but instead she was determined to help and teach her baby. Just like in IEP's, the people who are involved could take an easy route, but instead are there to help push, motivate and support that child! Great video. :)